Contestants from several countries gathered in Dublin for a multicultural pageant that combined cultural celebration with an educational message about drug prevention.
Held at the Church of Scientology & Community Centre in Dublin, the gathering featured 24 contestants from seven different nations and an audience of about 450 people.
The organisers worked with The Truth About Dublin Drugs Ireland to include an educational element alongside the pageant and cultural performances.
Drug education formed an important part of the event, with guided exhibition tours introducing visitors to information about commonly used drugs. Many of the contestants studied Truth About Drugs materials in advance, and several completed the full series of fourteen online courses.
Mayor of South Dublin Cllr. Francis Timmons addressed the audience and highlighted the value of cultural diversity, education and prevention.
Guests enjoyed performances representing Irish, Indian and Indonesian traditions throughout the afternoon.
Niveditha Vudayagiri, a software engineer with a master’s degree in artificial intelligence, was crowned Miss Cross Continent 2026. Fortunate Lindokuhle Masina and Yuki Yuliatin completed the top three as first and second runners-up.
The event demonstrated how multicultural celebrations can also provide a platform for education, responsibility and positive community engagement. Further background appears in the article covering the Dublin pageant promoting culture, leadership and drug awareness.